Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has brought to the public how he is afraid of coronavirus (covid-19), which he stated that he is not ready to die.
Because of the fear, he takes both his sanitiser and extra mask everywhere he goes to just as a precaution to prevent being infected with the virus and also to curb the spread, the minister said.
Amaechi brought this to notice in Abuja on Monday during the briefing by members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
He said: “I carry mask and sanitiser everywhere I go and The reason is that I have seen people die of COVID. So, I’m dead scared. If you ask the national coordinator of PTF, I refused that we should open the railway. It is the pressure of those who want to participate in the forthcoming spiritual activities (Sallah) that made me accept that the railways from Abuja to Kaduna resume.
Amaechi also included that the delay in the resumption of the train operation was economical.
“I was imagining the money to run the rail at this time because right now, expenditure will be higher than income and it may be difficult for the ministry because it is not budgeted for. However, we have to run and we will not shut down after COVID-19, but we will shut down if people don’t comply with the protocol. For me, life is more important than anything.”
Amaechi said that the ministry will make a strategy in order to introduce e-ticketing on the Abuja-Kaduna railway route in two to three months time as a measure to observe physical distancing as recommended by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
He went further to say that the introduction of more coaches on the route will reduce the rate of ticket racketeering.
